


Introduction

by KittyBandit



Series: Laven Week 2015 [7]
Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Modern AU, Romance, Wedding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-13
Updated: 2015-08-13
Packaged: 2018-04-14 11:05:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4562217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyBandit/pseuds/KittyBandit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laven Week Day 7 - Introduction</p>
<p>It's Lenalee and Kanda's wedding. Allen tries to ignore the fact that he's losing his best friend to a guy he can barely tolerate for five minutes, when a strange redhead appears at his table to distract him from his troubles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Introduction

The wedding had been beautiful. Allen had never seen a more elegant ceremony. He was sure Komui had had a hand in that, even if he was loathed to give away his little sister — the only family either of them had left.

Well, that wasn’t true anymore, was it? Now, Lenalee was married and their family had grown by one — one seriously cranky man with long hair and a scowl that never seemed to leave his face, or at least that was what Allen had noticed since meeting the man over a year ago.

Allen hated the guy — Yuu Kanda. It never failed. Every time Lenalee suggested hanging out, just the three of them, it was insufferable. Kanda would be surly right off the bat, then Allen would retaliate with sarcasm and snark. It was left for Lenalee to break them apart by then end of the first hour. All Lenalee had wanted was for Allen, her best friend, to get along with her new boyfriend (sorry — _husband_ ), and it never worked out. They were as incompatible as oil and water. It just wasn’t happening.

And even though Allen hated the guy, he couldn’t tell Lenalee not to marry the jackass. For as horrible as Kanda and Allen were to each other, Kanda was nothing but the perfect gentleman to her. And, from what Allen could see, Lenalee was _happy_. He couldn’t tell her to not marry someone who made her that blissful —

Even if it made him miserable.

So, Allen did what any best friend would do — he kept his mouth shut, came to the wedding, brought a gift, and supported Lenalee in her new life.

And that was where the night had left him. A glass of champagne sat untouched in front of him and five empty dinner plates later, he watched the dance floor as Kanda danced with the beautiful bride. A few other couples danced around them as well, but Allen couldn’t even see them against Lenalee’s ethereal glow. She was truly the perfect bride.

The band continued to play on stage, the lights were down just a tad from earlier in the evening. The hall, decked out in white and purple flowers, ribbons, and chiffon, began to empty. Allen checked the watch on his wrist — nearly 9:00PM. Not too early, not too late. Maybe, if he was quiet, he could sneak out before Lenalee or anyone else noticed.

Just as he was about to get up from his seat, someone grabbed the chair next to him, letting out a loud sigh as he did so.

“Geez, did you see the bathrooms in this place? I think they might’ve lined the urinals in gold. Lenalee’s brother must’ve spent a pretty penny to rent this place out.”

Allen blinked, looking over at the stranger who sat next to him at the otherwise empty table. He had red hair and a charming smile. The tie of his suit was loosened and fell crooked on around his neck. However, as handsome as the stranger was, Allen was still put off by the air of familiarity the man gave him, in spite of them being complete strangers.

Still, Allen knew how to be a proper guest. He smiled politely and tilted his head ever so slightly to the side. “Oh? I guess I hadn’t noticed.”

The redhead looked back at Allen, now that he had spoken back. When he smiled, Allen swore he felt his heart skip for a second, even in his mild annoyance. “Bride or groom?”

“What?” Allen asked, confusion clear on his face.

“Bride or groom? Which side did you come for?” he clarified and leaned an elbow on the table, wrinkling the white table cloth.

“Oh. Uh, bride,” Allen answered, taken off guard by the question.

“Ah, should’ve known. You look too nice to be friends with Yuu.” The redhead laughed as he leaned back in his chair. “I’m Lavi, by the way.”

“Allen.”

“Nice to meet you, Allen,” Lavi replied, giving the other man an amused smile.

“Likewise,” the white haired man replied, even as he was still hesitant. “And you are here for?”

“The grumpy groom.”

“Really?” Allen asked, genuinely surprised.

“Why? Does it seem like he wouldn’t have friends?” Lavi asked, no malice in his voice. “Because if you think that, then you’d be right. I don’t think anyone else is friends with him besides me and Alma.”

“Pretty short list,” Allen commented, toying with the still full glass of champagne on the table. He still refused to drink from it.

“Well, Yuu has a short temper. Only a select few can handle it,” Lavi added in. He shook his head, as if trying to rid himself of the thought of his cranky friend. “Anyway, what are you doing over here all by yourself? You look like you’re at a funeral, not a wedding.”

Allen laughed, though the humor never quite reached his lips to form a smile. “Ah… I’m not exactly in a happy place right now. I was actually thinking of sneaking out in a few minutes.”

“So soon? But the night’s barely begun!”

Allen looked away from Lavi, his silver eyes focusing back on the dance floor. He watched as Lenalee and Kanda were still dancing, the song already changed to a slower one. Her head rested against his shoulder, and Allen felt his stomach wrench at the sight. “Seeing my best friend marry an ass like that doesn’t exactly put me in a celebratory mood.”

Lavi raised an eyebrow, still watching Allen closely. “What? You in love with her or something?”

Allen smiled, eyes still on the happy couple. “No. As cliche as it sounds, she really is like a big sister to me. I’m more upset that she’s now officially picked him. He really is an asshole.” His eyes widened, realizing he said more than he should. “Ah, sorry. I suppose calling your friend an asshole is a bit uncalled for.”

The redhead laughed heartily. “You won’t hear me denying it. He is an asshole. But he’s better once you get to know him. Really, he’s all rough edges.”

“I suppose if I want to see Lenalee, I’ll have to deal with him more now.”

“Yeah, but I mean… Look at them.” Lavi moved his gaze over with Allen’s to the bride and groom. “They look really happy.”

“I know,” Allen admitted, a small smile gracing his features. “That’s why I should get out of here. I don’t want to ruin the night.”

Lavi’s green eyes slipped over to take in Allen’s form. “I’m betting Lenalee would be pretty bummed if you ditched. Stick it out — you never know what might happen.”

“The food is gone and I’m not much for drinking,” Allen replied, pulling his gaze away from his best friend. “Other than that, there’s not much to do.”

“There’s always dancing,” Lavi said, grinning like an idiot at Allen.

Allen rolled his eyes at the redhead’s optimism. “I doubt anyone wants to dance with me.”

“And on that point, my friend, you would be completely wrong,” Lavi replied as he stood up from the chair.

Allen stared up at at him, baffled. “Huh?”

“Come dance with me, Allen,” Lavi asked, holding out his hand.

A blush crept up Allen’s neck, just over the collar of his shirt as he stuttered. “I.. Uh… Well…”

“C’mon. It’ll be fun. Unless you don’t want to dance with me. Am I not your type?” Lavi asked, a mischievous grin on his face. His hand was still outstretched to Allen, waiting patiently for his acceptance.

“No, you are — I mean…” Now Allen’s face was completely flushed over, his silver eyes closing as he sighed in resignation. Allen pressed a hand over his face to hide his embarrassment. He was making a fool of himself.

“Don’t worry. I won’t bite. Well, not unless you want me to.”

Pulling his hand down, Allen looked at the redhead through his fingers. “Are you always this abrasive with people you’ve just met?”

“Almost exclusively.”

Allen sighed, but a smile made its way onto his face regardless. He had to admit — Lavi’s charming personality was getting to him. “How are you even friends with Kanda? You two are completely different.”

“Opposites attract, apparently,” Lavi said with a shrug. “Now, make up your mind. My arm is getting tired.”

Allen stared up at the redhead. As much as he wanted to deny it, he was actually starting to have some fun. Lavi was distracting him from the depressing thoughts swirling around his head, and somehow, in the span of only a few minutes, got him to actually smile and laugh.

How could he say no to someone who managed that?

“All right, but I’m not the greatest dancer. Don’t get mad if I step on your toes,” Allen replied, taking Lavi’s hand and pulling himself out of the chair.

“Considering how cute you are, it would be pretty hard to get mad at you,” Lavi replied with a wink, pulling Allen over to the dance floor.

Unprepared for the continuing onslaught of cheesy one liners, Allen did all he could to keep from turning into a blushing mess as they made their way over towards the band. Before he knew it, Lavi had one hand clasping Allen’s and the other on his hip. The redhead pulled him close, but left enough room between them to be comfortable.

The song was soothing, though Allen didn’t recognize it. Once they were dancing, his embarrassment eased. They swayed to the music, moving among the other couples dancing. Allen felt himself drifting closer to Lavi, his body moving of its own accord. How was it that he felt so comfortable dancing with this complete stranger.

“Hey,” Lavi mumbled, leaning down to whisper into Allen’s ear. “You’ve been spotted.”

“Hm?” Allen asked, his mind sharpening at the question as he looked back up at Lavi. He followed the redhead’s gaze across the dance floor and saw Lenalee dancing with Kanda. She had a giant smile on her face as she watched them, and waved her fingers before Kanda swooped her out of sight.

Allen sighed. “I’m going to hear about this tomorrow.”

“Aw, don’t be such a downer. Lena’s a sweetpea. I can’t believe Yuu managed such a catch.”

“You know her?”

“Obviously not as well as you,” Lavi said, keeping them moving to the beat. “But I met her a few months ago. She sweet-talked Yuu into having me over for dinner, saying she wanted to get to know his friends. Apparently, he just calls us idiots and leaves it at that. Anyway, we talk and conspire against Yuu now. It’s the only way to get him to do anything that isn’t work, kendo practice, or meditation.”

“Sounds like Bakanda,” Allen grumbled, his sour mood returning.

Lavi chuckled. “ _Bakanda_. I like it. I’m going to use that next time I see him. Though, _Yuu_ gets enough of a rise out of him as it is. I can always use more nicknames.”

“Good to know,” Allen replied with a coy smile. He could always use more ways to mess with Kanda.

They continued to dance until the song ran its course. Once it had ended, Lavi let go of Allen’s waist and made a ridiculous bow as he grinned like an idiot. Allen was about to make a smart comment to the other man when he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw the gorgeous bride standing behind him.

“I haven’t had a dance with my best man yet,” Lenalee said, taking Allen’s hands in hers. Her smile was as blindingly beautiful as her dress, dazzling and stunning. Her hair was pulled back in a high bun, a few curls of hair spilling out around the shining tiara she wore.

“Aw, Lena.”

“Shh, I’m the bride. I get to dance with whomever I want. And it’s certainly our turn.” With one hand in Allen’s and the other on his shoulder, Lenalee started them off as the music picked up again.

Allen couldn’t help but smile at his best friend. “I suppose so,” he said, not really minding dancing with the woman. “You look gorgeous, by the way.”

“Thank you,” she said with a smile.

He hesitated before asking his next question. “And you’re happy, right?” He had to make sure, just one last time, even if it was too late for her to take it all back now.

“Of course, Allen. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Just checking, you know… Making sure I don’t have to beat up your husband yet.”

Lenalee sighed, but kept smiling. She’d heard this all before. “You don’t need to worry. I swear, Allen. You’re getting worse than my brother with this overprotective bit.”

“No one is worse than Komui.”

Lenalee giggled. “Perhaps. But you’re getting there.” Once she reigned in her laughter, she looked back over at Allen. “But speaking of happy… I saw you dancing with Lavi.”

“Yeah?”

“How’d that go for you?”

“It went wel— wait.” Realization flashed over Allen. He watched Lenalee’s beaming face and put the pieces of the puzzle together. “You set this up, didn’t you?”

Lenalee had enough grace to look shocked. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You told him to come dance with me didn’t you?”

“Actually, no. I didn’t,” Lenalee said, still looking proud of herself. “I might have mentioned you to him before. And I may have told him that you were amazing and single.”

“ _Lenalee_ …”

“Oh, hush. You two would be so cute.”

“I’ve told you a million times not to play matchmaker with me. It’s weird.”

“You like him though, right?” she asked, still oozing excitement.

Allen looked away, not wanting to tell her she was right. It would only make her smug.

“I can get you his number.”

“Lenalee, please…”

“Ok, _you_ can give him your number.”

“You’re making a big deal out of such a little thing,” Allen insisted, even as a voice in his head shouted ‘Yes!’ over and over again. He wanted Lavi’s number. He wanted to give Lavi his number… But this wasn’t how he went about things. He wasn’t _that_ guy. He didn’t pick up people at weddings!

“Allen, it’s been a _long_ time since you’ve dated anyone. And I really think you’ll like him,” Lenalee insisted.

“Please don’t push this. I don’t even think he’s interested.”

“Don’t be stupid. You’re handsome and sweet. Everyone is into you.”

“Ok — Now _that_ is a mighty exaggeration…”

“Just give it a chance, Allen. Please?” Lenalee asked, her tone turning serious.

Allen sighed. He could never say no to her. “All right. I’ll try it. But I have reserved the right to tell you _‘I told you so’_ when it doesn’t work out.”

Lenalee only smiled.

Their dance finished quicker than Allen anticipated, and Lenalee was whisked off by her brother for a dance. Allen turned back heading over to his table. He scanned the hall. The crowd had thinned even more since he’d gotten up to dance, but the redhead wasn’t in sight. The sudden realization that he’d been ditched hit him like a sack of bricks. Of course Lavi wouldn’t wait for him — why would he? Lenalee had gotten his hopes up. He should have known better.

Tired and no longer in the mood to deal with the pageantry of the wedding, Allen sighed and headed for the exit. Throwing his suit coat over his shoulder, he weaved through the tables and chairs.

Allen walked through the corridors, heading towards the outer doors of the hotel lobby when a voice caused him to freeze in his tracks.

“Hey, Al. Heading out so soon? I thought we were having fun?”

Allen fought to keep his twitching lips from forming a smile. “It’s getting late. I figured I’d duck out before I was missed.”

Lavi let out a dramatic sigh. “And here I wanted to talk more. You’re ruining all my fun.”

“Sorry,” Allen said, smiling awkwardly.

“Here — give me your cell phone.”

The change of topic threw Allen off guard. “What?”

“Cell phone. Let me see it.”

Pulling out his phone, Allen unlocked the screen and handed it to Lavi. The redhead opened up a text screen and started typing. Allen watched curiously, not able to quite see what was going on — Lavi’s fingers moved too fast and blocked half the screen for him to properly see what was typed. Once the redhead was done, he handed the phone back to Allen. There was a buzzing sound, and Allen realized it was Lavi’s own phone, tucked away in his pocket.

“There. You got my number and I got yours,” he said, grinning down at the message he sent himself from Allen’s phone. “Now I don’t have to beg Lena for it.”

“I, uh…” Allen stuttered, still amazed that all of this was happening.

Lavi turned and walked back towards the hall to rejoin the party. “Let’s get coffee sometime. My treat,” he called out, leaving Allen at the entrance.

Allen couldn’t say anything. He simply stood there, mute. It was only after Lavi had disappeared back into the hall that Allen looked down at the message Lavi had sent from his phone.

09:34PM _Lena’s cute friend, Allen. Don’t lose his number._

It was a note to himself, obviously, but the way Lavi had worded it just made the white haired man laugh. He tucked the phone into his pocket and headed outside.

This was going to be interesting.

**Author's Note:**

> This idea had been ruminating for a long time in my mind before Laven week, but this was an excellent means to get the story out. I might continue it if I feel the urge. I'd love to write Allen and Lavi's first date, maybe flesh out their lives a little. But that's a big maybe - only if people are really interested.


End file.
